Eye On Earth: Clean Miami Beach hosting "Earth Day" beach clean-up
MIAMI - When Sophie Ringel started Clean Miami Beach it was to better educate the community on the harmful impact of pollution, specifically plastic.
When she first moved here from Germany she was trying to learn about the harmful effects of plastic pollution.
So each week she would host clean-ups, both on the beach and in the community. As of today, Clean Miami Beach has hosted nearly 250 clean-ups, with more than 9,300 volunteers collecting nearly 74,000 pounds of trash.
Ringel said she's seen changes over time when it comes to pollution.
"Littering has increased. The trashed production and consumption have increased. But so has the will and involvement of our community to do something about it," she said.
Ringel said the sight of pollution wants to make her want to create change.
"It makes me angry and makes me want to quit. But on the other side, it's great to see how the community is getting together, how change is driven, and how many people are involved. The message we receive on a daily basis is just so beautiful, that everyone really wants to step it up and help protect the Earth," she said.
Clean Miami Beach will be hosting its next beach clean-up on Saturday, which just happens to be Earth Day, at 20th Street from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.